PNoy hopeful he can still meet Hu

By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - President Aquino is hopeful that he can still meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao after their planned bilateral meeting did not push through at the sidelines of the APEC summit in Vladivostok, Russia.

He said there has been an improvement in the country’s relations with China amid a territorial dispute involving islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“Nagkaroon ng earthquake sa China and he had to attend to it also… Ang maganda lang dito… parang there seems to be a—hindi ko naman masasabing warmed up relations already, pero a little less cold than what it was. So that seems to be the way forward,” Aquino told reporters.

“So I am still hoping na magkakaroon kami ng dialogue kung saan pwedeng magkaroon ng heart-to-heart na talk at saka meron talagang sharing of all of our thoughts—parang in total honesty and openness. So that seems to be parang the way forward to settle all of these things,” he added.

He did not give details on the future talks.

The President justified why he had to sign an administrative order formally naming the West Philippine Sea.